Simultaneous Analysis of Ethylene Oxide and 2-Chloroethanol in Sesame Seeds and Other Food Commodities: Challenges and Solutions

Application Note
Food and Beverage 
Testing

Authors
Tatiana Cucu, 
Christophe Devos, and 
Frank David 
RIC Technologies 
Kortrijk, Belgium
Laurent Pascaud 
Agilent Technologies, Inc.

Abstract
The presence of ethylene oxide (EtO) and 2-chloroethanol (2-CE) in sesame 

seeds and other food commodities is an emerging food-safety concern. The first 

notification about the presence of EtO in sesame seeds occurred in August 2020, 

and since then over 800 new notifications have been published on the European 

Rapid Alert Food and Feed Safety (RASFF) portal. To ensure that foods are safe 

for consumption, food industry and enforcement agencies need reliable and 

robust methods to detect EtO and 2-CE in foods at levels below the EU established 

maximum residue limits (MRLs). The EU Reference Laboratories for Residues of 

Pesticides have proposed a method for the determination of these contaminants 

that uses Quick, Easy, Cheap, Effective, Rugged and Safe (QuEChERS) sample 

preparation followed by gas chromatography/tandem mass spectrometry 

(GC/MS/MS) analysis. However, laboratories encounter several challenges when 

it comes to applying this method to the analysis of EtO and 2-CE in food products. 

The high volatility of EtO requires the use of a dedicated column to ensure its 

separation from potential acetaldehyde interferences. Second, QuEChERS extracts 

often contain high amounts of nonvolatile material that can accumulate in the GC 

inlet liner and column inlet, affecting the accuracy and robustness of the analysis. 

Additionally, the analytical column can deteriorate due to the injection of samples 

containing high-boiling-point compounds. This application note describes an 

optimized and robust analytical method for the quantification of EtO and 2-CE in 

sesame and curcuma that uses a dedicated setup based on an Agilent 8890 Gas 

Chromatograph (GC) system, an Agilent 7010 Triple Quadrupole GC/MS (GC/TQ), 

and a Gerstel MPS sampler with the Automated Liner Exchange option. This option 

reduces downtime related to inlet maintenance, column exchange, and MS source 

cleaning compared to the proposed EU method.

Simultaneous Analysis of Ethylene 

Oxide and 2-Chloroethanol in Sesame 

Seeds and Other Food Commodities: 

Challenges and Solutions

2

Introduction
Ethylene oxide (EtO) is a disinfectant 

that was banned in the EU as a pesticide 

in 1991 due to its classification 

as a category-1 carcinogen by the 

International Agency Research of 

Cancer (IARC).1 In September 2020, 

Belgium added a notification on the 

EU Rapid Alert System for Food and 

Feed (RASFF) concerning EtO residues 

in sesame seeds originating from 

India. The levels detected substantially 

exceeded the maximum residue level 

(MRL) of 0.05 mg/kg for sesame seeds 

set by Regulation (EU) 2015/868.2 The 

notification resulted in increased testing 

and controls, leading to withdrawals 

and recalls of a significant number of 

conventional and organic products in 

many EU Member States. By February 

of 2022, over 700 notifications related to 

the occurrence of EtO, mostly in seeds 

(particularly sesame seeds) and spices, 

have been registered on the RASFF 

portal. The presence of unauthorized 

levels of EtO and its metabolite 

2-chloroethanol (2-CE) is probably due 

to its use for fumigation to control 

insects and microorganisms (fungi and 

bacteria) in dry food products such 

as herbs, spices, nuts, and oily seeds. 

After contact with food products, EtO 

either interacts with the major matrix 

constituents leading to the formation 

of several metabolites, including 2-CE, 

or dissipates through evaporation. 

Because of the toxicity of EtO and 2-CE, 

a joint residue definition for the two 

components was introduced in 2008 in 

Regulation (EC) No 149/2008.3 In 2015, 

the EU-MRLs for spices were lowered 

to 0.1 mg/kg. At the same time, the 

MRLs for nuts, oil fruits, and oilseeds 

were lowered to 0.05 mg/kg.2 To enforce 

these regulations, accurate analysis 

methods for these contaminants in food 

are essential.

Various methods for the analysis of 

EtO, or the sum of EtO and 2-CE, have 

been published. Some of these methods 

are based on the conversion of 2-CE 

to EtO under alkaline conditions, an 

approach that was later optimized 

and used as an official standard in 

Germany. Other methods are based 

on the conversion of the EtO to 2-CE 

under acidic conditions, followed by 

extraction of 2-CE with ethyl acetate 

and analysis by GC/MS. However, these 

methods are time consuming, labor 

intensive, and require the use of large 

quantities of harmful solvents. Sample 

preparation is essential in the analysis 

of EtO and 2-CE. Therefore, in December 

2020, EU Reference Laboratories for 

Residues of Pesticides recommended a 

single-residue method for the analysis 

of EtO and 2-CE in sesame seeds that 

uses QuEChERS extraction followed by 

GC/MS/MS analysis.4 QuEChERS-based 

GC methods generally involve 

three steps:
1.  Extraction using an organic solvent 

and partitioning salts,

2.  Sample cleanup with adsorbent 

materials (dispersive sorbents), and

3.  GC/MS/MS analysis.
However, food and feed matrices are 

known to be extremely complex and 

contain many interfering compounds 

that can lead to ion suppression effects, 

coelution, and severe contamination of 

the analytical instrumentation from the 

injector to the detector. In this application 

note, several improvements to the 

published EU Reference Laboratories 

for Residues of Pesticides method are 

proposed, including implementation of 

an automated liner exchange option. The 

option provides more accurate results 

by allowing unattended exchange of 

programmed-temperature-vaporization 

(PTV) inlet liners during an extended 

analytical sequence, which prevents 

accumulation of the high amounts 

of nonvolatile material present in 

QuEChERS extracts. Also, the use of 

precolumn backflushing protects the 

analytical column, resulting in increased 

robustness and higher productivity. 

Materials and methods

Chemicals and reagents
HPLC-S gradient grade acetonitrile 

was from Biosolve. Reverse-osmosis 

water was prepared using a Millipore 

water purification system. Samples 

were generously provided by a 

research partner or purchased in a 

local supermarket. EtO in methanol 

at 50 mg/mL was acquired from 

Sigma-Aldrich. 2-CE was also purchased 

from Sigma-Aldrich (part number 23000). 

2-CE-D4 was purchased from TechLab 

(part number 117067-62-6). EtO-D4 

was synthesized in-house from 2-CE-D4 

under alkaline conditions as described 

in the Recommended Single Residue 

Method.3 The purity and concentration 

of the ETO-D4 was tested against an 

EtO standard using GC-flame ionization 

detection (FID). 

Sample preparation overview
Food material: Samples 

were homogenized using a 

liquid-nitrogen-cooled grinder to avoid 

loss of EtO and 2-CE.
Extraction: QuEChERS extraction kit, EN 

15662 method (part number 5982-5650)
Dispersive SPE cleanup: QuEChERS 

Dispersive Kit, Fruits and Vegetables with 

Fats and Waxes, EN method (150 mg 

PSA, 150 mg C18EC, 900 mg MgSO

4) 

(part number 5982-5156)

3

QuEChERS extraction
QuEChERS extraction was performed 

according to the EN 15662 procedure 

as shown in Figure 1. Briefly, sample 

(2 ±0.01 g) was weighed in 50 mL 

centrifuge tubes and spiked as required. 

Water (10 mL) was added to the 

centrifuge tubes followed by capping and 

vortexing for 1 minute or until the sample 

was homogeneous. After the samples 

were thoroughly wetted, acetonitrile 

(10 mL) and 20 µL of internal standard 

(EtO-D4 and 2-CE-D4 10 µg/mL) were 

added to the centrifuge tubes along 

with two ceramic homogenizers 

(part number 5982-9313) to improve 

the extraction efficiency of the target 

compounds. The centrifuge tubes were 

then capped and placed in a rotary 

shaker for 15 minutes. The tubes were 

then removed, the QuEChERS extraction 

salts (4 g of MgSO

4,1 g of NaCl, 1 g of 

NaCitrate, and 0.5 g of disodium citrate 

sesquihydrate) were added, and the 

tubes were shaken on the rotary shaker 

for another 3 minutes. The samples 

were then centrifuged for 5 minutes at 

6,000 rpm, resulting in phase separation 

between the aqueous and organic 

solvents. Following centrifugation, the 

upper acetonitrile layer (6 mL) was 

transferred to QuEChERS Dispersive Kit 

15 mL tubes (150 mg of PSA, 150 mg 

of C18EC, and 900 mg of MgSO

4). The 

tubes were vortexed for 30 seconds 

followed by centrifugation at 5,000 

rpm for 5 minutes. After centrifugation, 

cleaned extracts were transferred to a 

2 mL GC vial for analysis. 

GC and GC/TQ instrument conditions
The GC and GC/TQ conditions and 

method parameters are listed in Tables 1 

and 2, respectively.

Figure 1. QuEChERS workflow for the extraction and cleanup of samples.

Weigh 2.00 ±0.01 g of sample into a 50 mL tube.

Add 10 mL of acetonitrile, IS, and extraction aids 

and mix for 15 minutes.

Add extraction salts and mix for 3 minutes.

Centrifuge at 6,000 rpm for 5 minutes.

Add water and shake briefly to wet the sample.

Transfer 6 mL of supernatant to a 15 mL dSPE tube. 

Agitate for 30 seconds. 

Centrifuge at 5,000 rpm for 5 minutes.

Transfer the clear supernatant to a 2 mL vial for injection.

QuEChERS extraction step

Cleanup step

Table 1. GC method parameters.

Parameter

Value

Model

Agilent 8890 Gas Chromatograph 

Injector

Gerstel CIS 4 with Automated Liner Exchange (ALEX) option

Injector Temperature

90 °C (0.8 min), 12 °C/s to 250 °C (14.3 min)

Injection Volume

2 µL; split 1:4

Liner Type

Glass wool (Gerstel p/n 010850-010-00)

Precolumn

5 m FS

Analytical Column

Agilent J&W HP-VOC GC, 30 m × 0.20 mm, 1.12 µm (p/n 19091R-303)

Carrier Gas

Helium

Analytical Column Flow

1 mL/min

Oven Gradient

45 °C (2 min), 50 °C/min to 220 °C (10 min)

Transfer Line Temperature

280 °C

Table 2. GC/TQ method parameters. 

Parameter

Value

Model

Agilent 7010 triple quadrupole GC/MS

Source Temperature

230 °C

Quadrupole Temperature

150 °C

Collision Gas Flow

1.5 mL/min (N

2)

Quench Gas Flow

2.25 mL/min (He)

Time Events

0 min – detector ON 

2.95 min – detector OFF 

3.6 min – detector ON

MRM Transitions and 
Retention Times

ETO-D4 (2.56 min):  48 & 16 (CE 40) 

 48 & 30 (CE 5)
ETO (2.57 min): 

44 & 29 (CE 5) 

 44 & 28 (CE 5) 

 44 & 15 (CE 5)
2-CE-D4 (4.47 min):  86 & 33 (CE 5) 

 84 & 33 (CE 5)
2-CE (4.48 min): 

80 & 44 (CE 0) 

 80 & 31 (CE 5) 

 80 & 43 (CE 0)

4

Calibration standard preparation
Stock standard solutions were prepared 

by mixing the individual stock standard 

solutions. Working standard solution 

was created by making a dilution of 

the stock solutions to 50 µg/mL EtO 

and 84.2 µg/mL 2-CE in acetonitrile 

that was stored at –18 °C until use. 

For calibration curve development, 

standards were mixed and prepared 

fresh in acetonitrile in the range between 

1 to 100 ng/mL and were used within 

one day. Matrix-matched standards 

were prepared at 10, 40, and 100 ng/mL 

extract levels by spiking the QuEChERS 

extracts of the blank sesame and 

curcuma samples. Internal standards 

were spiked into all samples (20 µL of a 

10 µg/mL solution) and taken through 

the entire QuEChERS workflow. 

Results and discussion 

Chromatography
Both EtO and 2-CE may occur in 

food samples. The 2-CE metabolite 

predominates, mainly because it is 

less volatile than EtO. As a result, 

simultaneous determination of 

both analytes in a single method is 

recommended. In addition, a dedicated 

method for quantification of EtO 

and 2-CE is proposed, rather than 

integrating the analytes into an existing 

multiresidue pesticides method. Specific 

to the described method, the solvent 

(acetonitrile) elutes between EtO and 

2-CE, meaning that care should be taken 

to protect the filament by programing 

a "Detector OFF" time event in the MS 

method between 2.95 and 3.6 minutes. 

Also, optimal injection conditions are 

needed to ensure a good peak shape 

for the EtO. The cooled injection system 

(CIS), a PTV-type inlet, was used to 

perform cold split injection of samples. 

Samples were introduced into the liner 

without the intermediate evaporation 

step that is typical of classical 

split/splitless injectors. Sample transfer 

from the liner into the analytical column 

thus started the moment the injector was 

heated. The well-controlled evaporation 

process allowed for reproducible and 

accurate injection, optimizing results for 

the target analytes. Figure 2 shows the 

chromatograms for EtO at the 5 ng/mL 

level (equivalent to 25 µg/kg sample 

level) and 2-CE at the 1 ng/mL level 

(equivalent to 5 µg/kg sample level), 

which are well below the EU-MRL levels 

for spices and sesame seeds. 

Figure 2. Chromatograms of EtO (MRM transition 44 & 29) at the 

5 ng/mL level and 2-CE (MRM transition 80 & 44) at the 1 ng/mL level.

1.12

1.14

1.16

1.18

1.20

1.22

1.24

EtO

* 2.578

Acquisition time (min)

2.45

2.55

2.65

2.75

2.85

2.95

3.05

3.15

3.25

0.4

0.6

0.8

1.0

1.2

1.4

1.6

1.8

2-CE

* 4.483

Acquisition time (min)

4.4

4.5

4.6

4.7

4.8

×105

×103

5

Acetaldehyde is often present in food 

products, particularly in those that are 

fatty. Because acetaldehyde and EtO 

have very similar mass spectra and 

retention indices, there are essentially 

no MRM transitions available to select 

for EtO if it coelutes with acetaldehyde. 

Therefore, it is essential to prevent 

their coelution during analysis. To 

test the method for this concern, 

acetaldehyde, EtO, and a mixture of 

acetaldehyde and EtO were injected to 

confirm chromatographic resolution on 

the HP-VOC column used. As shown 

in Figure 3, acetaldehyde eluted just 

before EtO and baseline separation 

was achieved. 
Food matrices are extremely complex 

and contain many interfering 

compounds. Considering the 

nonselective character of the QuEChERS 

extraction method, the extracts obtained 

are relatively dirty and could contain 

trace amounts of water. The matrix 

compounds can accumulate in the 

injector, damage the analytical column, 

and contaminate the detector. Therefore, 

the method introduced two levels of 

matrix protection with: 
1.  Automated Liner Exchange option to 

allow unattended liner exchange, and

2.  Integrated precolumn backflushing 

to ensure that high-boiling-point 

compounds do not reach the 

analytical column, increasing column 

lifetime and minimizing downtime 

related to detector maintenance.

Method performance
EtO was quantified using calibration 

curves ranging from 5 to 100 ng/mL, 

with linear fit, no weighting, and without 

including the origin. 2-CE was quantified 

using calibration curves ranging from 

0.84 to 84 ng/mL, with linear fit, 1/x 

weighing, and without including the 

origin. The R2 value was greater than 

0.99 for both target compounds 

(Figure 4) indicating excellent fit.

Figure 3. Chromatograms of the acetaldehyde (A), acetaldehyde and EtO mixture (B), and 
EtO (C) showing baseline separation of the compounds.

1

2

3

2.40

1

2

3

2.57

2.40

1

2

3

2.57

Acquisition time (min)

2.3

2.5

2.7

2.9

3.1

3.3

3.5

3.7

3.9

4.1

4.3

4.5

×105

×105

×105

A

B

C

Relative concentration

0

0.4 0.8 1.2 1.6 2.0 2.4 2.8 3.2 3.6 4.0 4.4 4.8 5.2

Relative response

Relative response

0

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

R2 = 0.9985

R2 = 0.9981

2-CE 

0

0.4

0.8

1.2

1.6

2.0

2.4

2.8

3.2

3.6

4.0

4.4

0

1

2

3

4

5

y = 1.174932x  + 0.011209

EtO

y = 1.433383x – 0.121541 

A

B

Figure 4. Calibration curves for EtO (A) and 2-CE (B).

6

To determine the chromatographic 

stability of the method, extracts of 

sesame seed and curcuma were 

spiked with EtO and 2-CE to 10, 40, and 

100 ng/mL, and injected repeatedly 

from the same vial into the same liner. 

Table 3 shows the absolute area and 

recovery for EtO and 2-CE spiked into 

the sample extracts at 40 ng/mL. A 

small decrease in the absolute area of 

EtO in sesame, and especially curcuma, 

extract was observed. The decrease can 

be explained by evaporation of EtO from 

the vial, which was pierced several times 

while stored in the sample tray at room 

temperature. Despite this concern, the 

repeatability of the recovery was 5 to 6%, 

indicating that the deuterated internal 

standard allowed correction for the loss. 

Though less evaporation loss of 2-CE 

was expected because it is less volatile 

than EtO, due to liner activity there was 

about a 40% reduction in the absolute 

area between the first and fifth injection.
Some peak distortion was observed 

after injection, particularly for extracts 

containing interfering compounds 

such as curcuma. This distortion 

demonstrated that injection of relatively 

dirty QuEChERS extracts affects 

accurate analysis of 2-CE. Therefore, 

use of the Automated Liner Exchange 

(ALEX) option for the analysis of EtO 

and especially 2-CE is recommended. 

Using the ALEX option, the liners were 

exchanged after 20 injections (as a 

user-defined time event in the sequence), 

minimizing accumulation of nonvolatile 

material from the extracts in the liner 

that could adversely affect method 

accuracy. Also, the ALEX option allowed 

unattended exchange of PTV inlet liners 

during extended analytical sequences, 

minimizing downtime related to manual 

inlet maintenance while increasing 

instrument robustness and productivity 

for routine analyses. 

To prevent high-boiling-point compounds 

from reaching the analytical column 

and contaminating the MS ion source, 

the precolumn backflushing option 

(using a purged Ultimate union) was 

used. Shown in Figure 5, the full-scan 

analysis of a curcuma extract performed 

without backflushing demonstrates the 

complexity of the injected food samples, 

particularly for compounds eluting 

after 5 minutes (which is after elution 

of the target compounds). Without 

precolumn backflushing, all the injected 

matrix reaches the analytical column 

Table 3. Absolute area and recovery of the EtO and 2-CE from sample extracts injected 
repeatedly on the same liner.

EtO

2-CE

Sesame, 40 ng/mL Curcuma, 40 ng/mL Sesame, 40 ng/mL Curcuma, 40 ng/mL

Area

Recovery 

(%)

Area

Recovery 

(%)

Area

Recovery 

(%)

Area

Recovery 

(%)

Injection 1

230,904

87.2

258,262

92.9

56,959

100.65

66,763

97.81

Injection 2

240,094

98.7

227,977

84.7

51,690

103.81

51,575

96.67

Injection 3

241,489

101.5

185,710

78.7

43,990

103.92

44,970

98.12

Injection 4

221,448

95.8

221,869

85.5

37,175

101.54

38,618

98.70

Injection 5

207,740

94.9

178,201

81.7

34,618

104.89

40,934

95.73

Average

228,335

95.6

214,403

84.7

44,886

102.9

48,572

97.7

RSD

6.2

5.6

15.3

6.3

21.0

1.7

23.2

1.2

Figure 5. Chromatographic profile of the curcuma extract analyzed in scan mode without backflushing (A), 
and with backflushing (B).

0

0.4

0.8

1.2

1.6

2.0

2.4

2.8

3.2

3.6

4.0

4.4

4.8

5.2

5.6

6.0

6.4

6.8

7.2

Acquisition time (min)

Acquisition time (min)

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

11

12

13

14

15

16

DETECTOR OF

F

0

0.4

0.8

1.2

1.6

2.0

2.4

2.8

3.2

3.6

4.0

4.4

4.8

5.2

5.6

6.0

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

11

12

13

14

15

DETECTOR OF

F

2-CE

×109

×105

A

B

7

and ultimately the MS ion source. 

When backflushing begins immediately 

after the transfer of the target analytes 

to the analytical column, the sample 

matrix has little to no influence on the 

column, allowing for analysis of more 

samples before maintenance is required 

compared to a conventional setup. 
The sample preparation method 

described in this application note 

was validated by performing recovery 

experiments in triplicate at three 

different concentrations: 0.05, 0.2, and 

the 0.5 mg/kg sample-based level. The 

recovery was between 84.5 to 100.6% for 

EtO and 88.8 to 106.2% for 2-CE in the 

sesame and curcuma samples (Table 4).
Representative food samples collected 

in a local supermarket were analyzed 

using the method (Table 5). None of the 

commercial samples tested positive 

for EtO, probably because the samples, 

some of which had been thermally 

treated, suffered losses during storage 

or the thermal treatment. However, in 

border-control programs for example, 

under the correct sampling and storage 

conditions, significant amounts of EtO 

would be detected. All of the samples 

tested positive for 2-CE, some at 

levels above the MRL values for these 

commodities (i.e. Sesame 1, Curcuma 1, 

and plant material). Method accuracy 

was tested using a sesame reference 

material (kindly provided by a research 

partner). The value obtained was 

close to the average reported value of 

4,660 µg/kg (27.3% CV). 

Table 4. Recovery and relative standard deviation (RSD) of EtO and 2-CE in 
sesame and curcuma samples spiked at different levels.

Matrix

Spike Level 

(mg/kg)

Recovery EtO (%)

Recovery 2-CE (%)

Average

RSD % (n = 3)

Average

RSD % (n = 3)

Sesame

0.05

100.1

9.1

97.9

6.3

0.2

84.5

7.6

92.5

8.4

0.5

92.0

6.9

88.8

2.7

Curcuma

0.05

100.6

16.4

106.2

4.4

0.2

94.5

8.5

105.8

9.9

0.5

92.5

5.2

94.4

4.3

Table 5. Amounts of EtO and 2-CE detected in commercial samples.

Matrix

EtO

2-CE

Sum EtO and 2-CE*

µg/kg

µg/kg

µg/kg

Sesame, 1

n/d

224.7

122.9

Sesame, 2

n/d

75.7

41.4

Sesame, Reference Material

n/d

4,581**

2,505

Curcuma, 1

n/d

199.7

109.2

Curcuma, 2

n/d

12.7

6.9

Fresh Curcuma

n/d

2.3

1.3

Garlic Powder

n/d

9.2

5.0

Ginger Powder

n/d

27.7

15.2

Plant Material

n/d

9,653

5,280

Spices Mixture

n/d

31.2

17.1

Herbs Mixture

n/d

29.2

16.0

*  Sum EtO and 2-CE = conc EtO + (concentration 2-CE in sample × 0.55) 

(conversion factor based on conversion of molecular weights: 44/80 = 0.55)

**  4,660 µg/kg (27.3% CV) 

www.agilent.com

DE46467947

This information is subject to change without notice.

© Agilent Technologies, Inc. 2022 
Printed in the USA, June 15, 2022 
5994-4942EN

Conclusion
The presented method meets the 

requirements of the EU Reference 

Laboratories for Residues of Pesticides 

single-residue method that uses 

QuEChERS extraction followed by 

GC/MS/MS analysis for determination of 

EtO and 2-CE sesame seeds. Recoveries 

were within 85 to 106%, with good 

repeatability for both EtO and 2-CE. LOQs 

for sesame and curcuma (representative 

of the spices food category), were lower 

than the currently established MRLs. 

Results were stable for both sesame 

and curcuma samples, with RSDs for 

triplicate extractions and analyses found 

to be well below 20% for the recovery 

experiments. The sample preparation 

and optimized GC/MS/MS setup 

based on the 8890 GC system, 7010B 

GC/TQ, and Gerstel MPS sampler with 

the Automated Liner Exchange option 

provided reliable results and excellent 

performance, demonstrating that the 

method can be used to quantify EtO and 

2-CE in sesame and spice samples at the 

EU-regulated levels. The method has the 

advantages of high sensitivity, selectivity, 

accuracy, and sample throughput due to 

reduced downtime for inlet maintenance, 

analytical column exchange, and MS ion 

source cleaning.

References
1.  Tateo, F.; Bononi, M. Determination 

of Ethylene Chlorhydrine as Marker 

of Spices Fumigation With Ethylene 

Oxide. Journal of Food Composition 

and Analysis 2006, 19, 83–87

2.  Regulation (EU) 2015/868 of 26 May 

2015 amending Annexes II, III and V 

to Regulation (EC) No 396/2005 of 

the European Parliament and of the 

Council as regards maximum residue 

levels for 2,4,5-T, barban, binapacryl, 

bromophos-ethyl, camphechlor 

(toxaphene), chlorbufam, 

chloroxuron, chlozolinate, DNOC, 

di-allate, dinoseb, dinoterb, 

dioxathion, ethylene oxide, 

fentin acetate, fentin hydroxide, 

flucycloxuron, flucythrinate, 

formothion, mecarbam, methacrifos, 

monolinuron, phenothrin, propham, 

pyrazophos, quinalphos, resmethrin, 

tecnazene and vinclozolin in or on 

certain products. Off. J. Eur. Union L. 

2015, 145, 1–71.

3.  Regulation (EC) No 149/2008 of 29 

January 2008 amending Regulation 

(EC) No 396/2005 of the European 

Parliament and of the Council by 

establishing Annexes II, III and IV 

setting maximum residue levels for 

products covered by Annex I thereto. 

Off. J. Eur. Union L. 2008, 58, 1–398.

4.  EURL-SRM-Analytical Observation 

Report: Analysis of Ethylene Oxide 

and its metabolite 2-Chloroethanol 

by the QuOil or the QuEChERS 

method and GC-MS/MS. December 

2020.